Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. Line a 13 x 9 x 2-in. baking pan with foil. Coat with nonstick spray. Trace outline of stocking, above. Enlarge pattern on a photocopier by 200 percent, then cut a pattern from wax paper.

Make Cake: In a large bowl with mixer on low speed, beat cake mix, sour cream, butter and eggs 1 minute to blend. On medium speed, beat 2 minutes (mixture is very thick). Remove 2 cups to a small bowl; stir in crushed mints and food color until blended. Alternately drop tablespoonfuls mint and plain batter in prepared pan. Smooth top.

Bake 32 to 35 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes before inverting on rack, removing foil and cooling cake completely.

Place pattern on cake; cut out stocking (save scraps for snacking). Using 2 long spatulas, lift cake to serving platter.

Make Frosting: Beat confectioners' sugar, butter, milk and vanilla on low speed to mix. Increase speed to high; beat a few minutes until pale and fluffy.

To decorate: Remove 1⁄2 cup frosting to a small bowl; tint red with food color. Spoon into a qt-size ziptop bag. Spread top and sides of stocking with rest of frosting. With a long piece of plain dental floss, mark diagonal lines 1 1⁄2 in. apart in frosting for patchwork squares (use photo as a guide). Score outline of toe and heel with a toothpick. Snip 1⁄4-in. tip off corner of ziptop bag; pipe lines of red frosting to fill in toe and heel.

Arrange marshmallows on cuff of stocking and Skittles and coarsely crushed mints in patchwork squares. Place yellow candies at the connecting points. Gently press candy canes into cuff of cake.

Tips & Techniques

Can be prepared through Step 6 up to 1 day ahead. Refrigerate covered. Proceed with Step 7 the morning of serving. Note: To crush candies, place 1 gal-size ziptop bag inside another, add candies and pound with a hammer or mallet.